EP1383048A1 - Elektronische vorrichtung - Google Patents

Elektronische vorrichtung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1383048A1
EP1383048A1 EP02720571A EP02720571A EP1383048A1 EP 1383048 A1 EP1383048 A1 EP 1383048A1 EP 02720571 A EP02720571 A EP 02720571A EP 02720571 A EP02720571 A EP 02720571A EP 1383048 A1 EP1383048 A1 EP 1383048A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
program
function
electronic device
version flag
function program
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP02720571A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1383048A4 (de
Inventor
Kaneaki c/o SONY CORPORATION FUJISHITA
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sony Corp
Original Assignee
Sony Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sony Corp filed Critical Sony Corp
Publication of EP1383048A1 publication Critical patent/EP1383048A1/de
Publication of EP1383048A4 publication Critical patent/EP1383048A4/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F8/00—Arrangements for software engineering
    • G06F8/60—Software deployment
    • G06F8/65—Updates

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an electronic device which is adapted to implement various functions using a DSP.
  • AV preamplifiers for example, in which audio signals have been digitized, use a processing circuit such as a DSP to perform signal processing such as decoding, effecting, and equalizing.
  • a processing circuit such as a DSP to perform signal processing such as decoding, effecting, and equalizing.
  • a program executed by the DSP can be modified to change the content to be processed.
  • an AV preamplifier which is provided with a non-volatile, rewritable memory in which a program executed by the DSP is stored. This allows the program stored in the non-volatile memory to be rewritten to update functionality of the AV amplifier or add a new function, so that the functionality of the AV amplifier can be up-to-date at any time.
  • the corresponding decoding method can be added to the AV amplifier, or, when new effecting is put into practice, the effecting can be added to the AV amplifier.
  • a program executed by the DSP can be improved to obtain a higher quality audio signal, or a bug can be removed from a bugged program.
  • the AV amplifier can be upgraded to an up-to-date one.
  • a flash memory has been used in general as the above-noted non-volatile, rewritable memory. In order to rewrite a program stored in the flash memory, it is necessary to erase the program in the flash memory before rewriting.
  • functions newly added by versions are of different value from one version to another.
  • a function that is added in Ver. 3 is of less value than a function that is added in Ver. 2, it is necessary to set the price of Ver. 3 to a higher price than that of Ver. 2 although Ver. 3 must have been offered at a lower price.
  • the present invention is intended to solve such problems.
  • an electronic device which includes:
  • Fig. 1 shows an example in which the present invention is embodied as an AV amplifier supporting 5.1 channel audio, in which reference numeral 10 denotes a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) player, and reference numeral 20 denotes an AV amplifier.
  • reference numeral 10 denotes a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) player
  • reference numeral 20 denotes an AV amplifier.
  • the DVD player 10 is a signal source in 5.1 channel audio.
  • a DVD is played back, and a playback signal therefor is output in the form of a serial digital audio signal according to IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission)-958 standard (so-called SPDIF (Sony Philips Digital Interface) standard), and the digital audio signal is supplied to the AV amplifier 20.
  • IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
  • SPDIF Synchronical Philips Digital Interface
  • the digital audio signal supplied from the DVD player 10 is supplied to a DSP 23 through an input connector 21 and an interface circuit 22.
  • the DSP 23 decodes the digital audio signal from the interface circuit 22 into digital audio signals on six channels (left front, right front, left side, right side, central front, and bass channels), and performs processing, such as effecting and equalizing, on the digital audio signals.
  • the six-channel digital audio signals output from the DSP 23 are supplied to a D/A (Digital to Analog) converter circuit 24 for D/A conversion into six-channel analog audio signals.
  • the analog audio signals are passed through an amplifier 25 and a variable attenuator circuit 26 for adjusting main sound volume to output terminals 27.
  • the AV amplifier 20 is further provided with a microcomputer 31 as a control circuit, and a signal indicating the type of playback signal supplied to the interface circuit 22 is supplied to the microcomputer 31 from the interface circuit 22.
  • the microcomputer 31 is connected to an operation key (or an operation toggle) 32 and a display, such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 33.
  • a display such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 33.
  • the microcomputer 31 controls the DSP 23 to modify the playback mode, the effect type, or the like.
  • Various information such as the operating state of the AV amplifier 20 is displayed on the LCD 33.
  • a predetermined control signal is supplied to the variable attenuator circuit 26 from the microcomputer 31 to control the level of the analog audio signals output to the output terminals 27 according to operation using the operation key 32.
  • the microcomputer 31 is further connected to a flash memory 34 as a non-volatile, rewritable memory.
  • the flash memory 34 stores a program executed by the DSP 23 and various information.
  • the program stored in the flash memory 34 is executed by the DSP 23, thus allowing the above-described functions such as decoding, effecting, and equalizing to be implemented.
  • the program executed by the DSP 23 in order to implement the functions of the AV amplifier 20 is hereinafter referred to as a "function program".
  • the function program stored in the flash memory 34 is provided by a CD-ROM (CD Read Only Memory) 50, and the CD-ROM 50 stores data shown in Figs. 4A to 4C, by way of example.
  • CD-ROM CD Read Only Memory
  • a vendor of the AV amplifier 20 develops and markets a function program for implementing a new function A, after which the vendor develops and markets a function program for implementing a function B, after which the vendor develops and markets a function program for implementing a function C.
  • the vendor markets a CD-ROM 50A having a function program 5A, a load program 100, and miscellaneous information 200 recorded therein, as shown in Fig. 4A.
  • the vendor markets a CD-ROM 50B having a function program 5B, a load program 100, and miscellaneous information 200 recorded therein, as shown in Fig. 4B.
  • the vendor markets a CD-ROM 50C having a function program 5C, a load program 100, and miscellaneous information 200 recorded therein, as shown in Fig. 4C.
  • the function program 5A is a program executed by the DSP 23 in the AV amplifier 20 to implement the function A.
  • the function program 5B is a program executed by the DSP 23 in the AV amplifier 20 to implement the function B as well as the function A when bit 0 (LSB (Least Significant Bit)) of a version flag VFLG shown in Fig. 3B, which is stored in the flash memory 34 of the AV amplifier 20, is checked and is set to "1", as described in detail below.
  • the function program 5C is executed by the DSP 23 in the AV amplifier 20 to implement the function C as well as the function A when bits 0 and 1 of the version flag VFLG shown in Fig. 3B are checked and when bit 0 is set to "1" and the function B when bit 1 is set to "1".
  • the function program is such that an up-to-date function at the time when the function program was developed is implemented without condition, while the previous function is implemented only when the corresponding bit of the version flag VFLG is "1".
  • the load program 100 is a program for loading a function program into the flash memory 34 from the CD-ROM 50.
  • the load program 100 is transferred to a RAM (Random Access Memory) 311 of the microcomputer 31 from the CD-ROM 50, and is then executed by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown) of the microcomputer 31.
  • the load program 100 has a structure shown in Fig. 2. Although a detailed description of the load program 100 is made below, only a portion relevant to the present invention is depicted in Fig. 2.
  • the miscellaneous information 200 includes information indicating a model which can be updated by the CD-ROM 50.
  • a seal imprinted with a CD key (identification code) for identifying the CD-ROM 50 is affixed to a plastic case which receives the CD-ROM 50.
  • the microcomputer 31 in the AV amplifier 20 is further provided with a communication port 312 which is specified by, for example, the RS-232C standard, for transferring the function program and the load program in the CD-ROM 50 to the AV amplifier 20, and the port 312 is connected to a connector 35.
  • a personal computer 40 is connected with the connector 35.
  • Fig. 3A shows an exemplary memory map of the flash memory 34.
  • addresses 0 to IFFFh h indicates hexadecimal
  • the addresses 400h to 40Fh indicate a storage area for version information of the loaded function program.
  • the addresses 410h to 41Fh indicate a storage area for information indicating the model of the AV amplifier 20, etc.
  • the addresses 420h to 42Fh indicate a storage area for a CD (Compact Disc) key for identifying the CD-ROM 50.
  • CD Compact Disc
  • the address 430h indicates a storage area for the version flag VFLG
  • the address 500h and the following addresses indicate a storage area for the function program.
  • each bit of the version flag VFLG corresponds to each of the functions implemented by the DSP 23, and is set to "1" indicating that implementation of the corresponding function is allowed and to "0" indicating that it is not allowed.
  • bit 0 corresponds to the function A, which is "1", thus indicating that implementation of the function A is allowed; and bit 1 corresponds to the function B, which is "0", thus indicating that implementation of the function B is not allowed.
  • a playback signal from the player 10 is supplied to the DSP 23 through the input connector 21 and the interface circuit 22, and is then decoded into digital audio signals on the respective channels.
  • the processing, such as effecting and equalizing, corresponding to operation using the operation key 32 is further performed.
  • the digital audio signals processed by the DSP 23 are subjected to D/A conversion by the D/A converter circuit 24 into analog audio signals, and the analog audio signals are passed through the amplifier 25 and the variable attenuator circuit 26 for adjusting main sound volume to the output terminals 27.
  • the functionality of the AV amplifier 20 is updated as follows: when the functionality is updated, the personal computer 40 is connected to the connector 35, and the CD-ROM 50 is set in the personal computer 40.
  • the CD-ROM 50 is the CD-ROM 50A, the CD-ROM 50B, or the CD-ROM 50C depending upon the version of a marketed CD-ROM.
  • the key 32 of the AV amplifier 20 is operated to instruct an updating using the CD-ROM 50. Then, the load program 100 is read from the CD-ROM 50, and the load program 100 is loaded into the RAM 311 from the personal computer 40 via the communication port 312.
  • processing of a CPU (not shown) of the microcomputer 31 allows the routine of the load program 100 loaded in the RAM 311 to proceed to step 101, followed by step 102, in which the miscellaneous information 200 stored in the CD-ROM 50 is checked based on the model information stored in the flash memory 34 to determine whether or not the CD-ROM 50 supports the AV amplifier 20.
  • step 102 the routine proceeds from step 102 to step 103, in which the version flag VFLG stored in the flash memory 34 is retrieved.
  • step 104 the version flag VFLG retrieved from the flash memory 34 in step 103 is checked to determine whether or not the function program prepared in the CD-ROM 50 is qualified to be installed or rewritten to the flash memory 34.
  • step 104 a bit in the bits of the version flag VFLG in the flash memory 34 which corresponds to a function newly added by the CD-ROM 50 is set to "1".
  • bit 1 in the bits of the version flag VFLG which corresponds to the function B is set to "1".
  • the version flag VFLG is retrieved from the flash memory 34 to take a difference between the retrieved version flag VFLG and mask data in which bit 1 is "1" and the other bits are "0”, and the result is written to the flash memory 34 as a new version flag VFLG.
  • the same processing is performed in case where any other bit is set to "1".
  • step 111 furthermore, the version information stored in the flash memory 34 is updated using the version information contained in the miscellaneous information 200 in the CD-ROM 50.
  • step 112 processing before the function program is written to the flash memory 34, for example, a process to display on the LCD 33 that the write processing is executed, is performed.
  • step 113 the function program in the CD-ROM 50 is written to the flash memory 34.
  • step 114 processing after the program is written to the flash memory 34, for example, a process to display on the LCD 33 that the writing in step 113 has been correctly executed, is performed.
  • step 115 the program 100 ends.
  • step 102 If it is determined in step 102 that the CD-ROM 50 does not support the AV amplifier 20, the routine proceeds from step 102 to step 121, in which incompatibility of the CD-ROM 50 is displayed on the LCD 33. In step 122, then, the program 100 ends.
  • step 104 If it is determined in step 104 that the function program prepared in the CD-ROM 50 is not qualified to be installed to the flash memory 34, the routine proceeds from step 104 to step 131, in which it is determined whether or not the function program stored in the CD-ROM 50 is a freeware program, such as a bug-fixed function program.
  • step 113 If it is a freeware program, the routine proceeds from step 131 to step 111; and, as described above, the version flag VFLG stored in the flash memory 34 is updated in step 111, and the function program stored in the flash memory 34 is updated to the freeware function program stored in the CD-ROM 50 in step 113.
  • step 131 If the function program stored in the CD-ROM 50 is a shareware program in step 131, the routine proceeds from step 131 to step 132, in which the routine waits for entry of the CD key.
  • step 132 determines whether or not the CD key entered in step 132 is correct. If the entered CD key is correct, the routine proceeds from step 133 to step 111; and, in the subsequent steps, the function program and the version flag VFLG in the flash memory 34 are updated in the way described above.
  • step 133 the routine proceeds from step 133 to step 134, in which, for example, the fact that the CD key is wrong is displayed on the LCD 33. Then, in step 115, the program 100 ends.
  • the function program 5A is programmed so as to implement the function A; the function program 5B is programmed so as to implement the function B as well as the function A when bit 0 of the version flag VFLG is set to "1"; and the function program 5C is programmed so as to implement the function C as well as the function A or the function B when bit 0 or bit 1 of the version flag VFLG is set to "1".
  • the function program in the CD-ROM 50 is installed to the flash memory 34 in the way described above to update the version flag VFLG, whereby only a function whose corresponding bit is set to "1" is effectively implemented.
  • a new function can be added to the above-described AV amplifier 20, in which case, in particular, the above-described AV amplifier 20 is designed so that, when a new function is added, a function program capable of implementing both the new function and a function which has been developed is stored in the flash memory 34 and a bit in the version flag VFLG which corresponds to the new function is updated.
  • functions A, B, C, ... are developed and offered in order, for example, users can add only the function C, that is, users can select and add only an up-to-date function.
  • a desired function can be added at a price corresponding to the value thereof.
  • files (the function program, the load program 100, and the miscellaneous information 200) in the CD-ROM 50 are read and supplied to the microcomputer 31 by the personal computer 40
  • the files may be read and supplied to the microcomputer 31 by the DVD player 10.
  • the files may be supplied to the microcomputer 31 over the Internet or by a service using a file delivery system.
  • an electronic device for implementing various functions by a DSP and a program executed by the DSP enables users to select and add only an up-to-date function if the various functions have been developed and offered in order. If the functions are of different value, a desired function can be added at a price corresponding to the value thereof.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Software Systems (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Stored Programmes (AREA)
EP02720571A 2001-04-24 2002-04-23 Elektronische vorrichtung Withdrawn EP1383048A4 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2001125382 2001-04-24
JP2001125382A JP2002318704A (ja) 2001-04-24 2001-04-24 電子機器
PCT/JP2002/004029 WO2002088952A1 (fr) 2001-04-24 2002-04-23 Appareil electronique

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1383048A1 true EP1383048A1 (de) 2004-01-21
EP1383048A4 EP1383048A4 (de) 2007-10-10

Family

ID=18974609

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP02720571A Withdrawn EP1383048A4 (de) 2001-04-24 2002-04-23 Elektronische vorrichtung

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US7685592B2 (de)
EP (1) EP1383048A4 (de)
JP (1) JP2002318704A (de)
CN (1) CN1266606C (de)
WO (1) WO2002088952A1 (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2610744A1 (de) * 2011-12-28 2013-07-03 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Elektronisches System, Steuerungsverfahren davon, Anzeigevorrichtung, Aktualisierungsvorrichtung und Dateneingabe-/-ausgabeverarbeitungsverfahren der Anzeigevorrichtung

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7305694B2 (en) * 2003-09-04 2007-12-04 Digital Networks North America, Inc. Method and apparatus for remotely controlling a receiver according to content and user selection
US20080101770A1 (en) * 2003-09-04 2008-05-01 Digital Networks North America, Inc. Method and Apparatus for Remotely Controlling a Receiver According to Content and User Selection
JP4640545B2 (ja) * 2004-09-28 2011-03-02 株式会社沖データ 情報処理装置

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US5504801A (en) * 1994-02-09 1996-04-02 Harris Corporation User-controlled electronic modification of operating system firmware resident in remote measurement unit for testing and conditioning of subscriber line circuits
JPH11259284A (ja) * 1998-03-12 1999-09-24 Fujitsu Ltd オンラインプログラム更新システム及びプログラム更新用プログラムを記録したコンピュータ読み取り可能な記録媒体

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CA2162033A1 (en) * 1993-05-05 1994-11-10 Alan W. Lillich Method and apparatus for verifying compatibility between modular components in a computer system
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JP3573592B2 (ja) * 1996-05-22 2004-10-06 富士通株式会社 情報処理装置及びその記録媒体
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JP2001125823A (ja) * 1999-10-29 2001-05-11 Fujitsu Ltd プッシュサービスシステムおよびプッシュサービス処理方法
US6948059B1 (en) * 2000-09-28 2005-09-20 Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. Component loader for industrial control device providing resource search capabilities

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5504801A (en) * 1994-02-09 1996-04-02 Harris Corporation User-controlled electronic modification of operating system firmware resident in remote measurement unit for testing and conditioning of subscriber line circuits
JPH11259284A (ja) * 1998-03-12 1999-09-24 Fujitsu Ltd オンラインプログラム更新システム及びプログラム更新用プログラムを記録したコンピュータ読み取り可能な記録媒体

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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Title
See also references of WO02088952A1 *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2610744A1 (de) * 2011-12-28 2013-07-03 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Elektronisches System, Steuerungsverfahren davon, Anzeigevorrichtung, Aktualisierungsvorrichtung und Dateneingabe-/-ausgabeverarbeitungsverfahren der Anzeigevorrichtung

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1383048A4 (de) 2007-10-10
CN1266606C (zh) 2006-07-26
US7685592B2 (en) 2010-03-23
WO2002088952A1 (fr) 2002-11-07
JP2002318704A (ja) 2002-10-31
US20030177148A1 (en) 2003-09-18
CN1462389A (zh) 2003-12-17

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